This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-96810 filed on Mar. 31, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, a job controlling apparatus and the job controlling methods.
2. Description of Related Art
As a copying machine, for example, a copying machine equipped with a memory recall mode is known. The aforementioned memory recall mode is a mode for re-outputting image data after a completion of an output of the image data. To activate the memory recall mode, it is required for an operator to manipulate an operation panel or the like so as to set the memory recall mode effective before a reading of an original by an image reader and also request a re-output of the job in accordance with the memory recall (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cmemory recall jobxe2x80x9d) after a completion of the output of the job.
Furthermore, a copying machine which allows an input of a job during an output operation of another job is also known.
However, in the aforementioned copying machine, in cases where a plurality of jobs are registered, the copying machine cannot output an image according to the memory recall job until a completion of the aforementioned plurality of registered jobs. Thus, a user has to wait the output of the image according to the memory recall job until the completion of the aforementioned plurality of registered jobs.
In a copying machine with a printing function which outputs the data inputted into the copying machine from an external apparatus such as a personal computer, if printing jobs from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPC jobsxe2x80x9d) are input continuously, the copying machine cannot execute the re-output of the image according to the memory recall job until the completion of the PC jobs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus with enhanced operability which can secure a time for operating a re-output of an image of a job to which a recall function is set effective after an output of the image of the job and also can output an image of a job followed by a previous job immediately after an output of an image of the previous job where a recall function is not set effective to the previous job, to thereby avoid the necessity of waiting the output of the image of the job followed by the previous job.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a job controller by which a time for operating a re-output of an image of a job can be secured after an output of the image of the job to which a recall function is set effective, and an image of a job followed by a previous job can be output immediately after an output of an image of the previous job to which a recall function is not set effective.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a job controlling method by which a time for operating a re-output of an image of a job can be secured after an output of the image of the job to which a recall function is set effective, and an image of a job followed by a previous job can be output immediately after an output of an image of the previous job to which a recall function is not set effective.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a memory for storing a first job and a second job, an output unit for sequentially outputting the image of the first and second jobs stored in the memory, a setter for setting a recall function effective to the first job, the recall function being a function enabling a re-output of the first job in accordance with a request of an operator after a completion of the first job, and a job controller controlling the output unit so as to output the second job a predetermined time later after a completion of the first job where the recall function is set effective to the first job, or output the second job immediately after a completion of the first job where the recall function is set ineffective to the first job.
With this image forming apparatus, where the recall function is set effective to the first job by the setter, the job controller controls the output unit so as to output the second job a predetermined time later after the completion of the first job, and where the recall function is not set effective to the first job, the job controller controls the output unit so as to output the second job immediately after the completion of the first job.
As a result, the time for operating a re-output of a job to which the recall function is set effective can be secured. On the other hand, a job followed by a previous job to which the recall function is not set effective is output immediately, which enhances the operability.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a job controlling apparatus for outputting a job to an outputting apparatus includes a memory for storing a first job and a second job, a setter for setting a recall function effective to the first job, wherein the recall function is a function enabling a re-output of the first job in accordance with a request of an operator after a completion of the first job, and a job controller outputting the second job a predetermined time later after a completion of the first job where the recall function is set effective to the first job, or outputting the second job immediately after a completion of the first job where the recall function is not set effective to the first job.
With this job controlling apparatus, where the recall function is set effective to the first job, the second job is output a predetermined time later after the completion of the first job, and where the recall function is not set effective to the first job, the second job is output immediately after the completion of the first job.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a job controlling method for controlling a reading of a first job and a second job and an outputting thereof includes the steps of setting a recall function effective or ineffective to the first job, wherein the recall function is a function enabling a re-output of the first job in accordance with a request of an operator after a completion of the first job, and outputting the second job a predetermined time later after a completion of the first job where the recall function is set effective to the first job, or outputting the second job immediately after a completion of the first job where the recall function is not set effective to the first job.
With this job controlling method, where the recall function is set effective to the first job, the second job is output a predetermined time later after the completion of the first job, and where the recall function is not set effective to the first job, the second job is output immediately after the completion of the first job.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes image outputting means for outputting an image formed based on image data, storing means for storing a plurality of jobs, memory recall selection means for selectively setting a memory recall effective or ineffective to each job, wherein the memory recall makes it possible to re-output image data of each job after an output thereof, operation means for re-outputting image data of a job to which the memory recall is selectively set effective, and output timing control means for outputting a following waiting job stored in the storing means a predetermined time later after a completion of an output of a job to which the memory recall is selectively set effective in order to secure a chance of a re-output operation of the job to which the memory recall is selectively set effective by the operation means, or outputting a following waiting job stored in the storing means immediately after a completion of an output of a job to which the memory recall is selectively set ineffective.
In this application, the aforementioned xe2x80x9cmemory recallxe2x80x9d function is defined as a function that outputs data read by a job and stores the read data in a memory even after the output of the data and re-outputs the data stored in the memory in accordance with the re-output instruction by a user.
In the aforementioned image forming apparatus, since the following waiting job stored in the memory means is output a predetermined time later after the completion of an output of a job to which the memory recall is set effective so as to secure a chance of the re-output operation of the job by the operation means. This makes it possible to execute the memory recall function by conducting the re-output operation based on the memory recall within a predetermined time by a user. On the other hand, when the output of the job to which the memory recall is set ineffective is completed, the following waiting job is output immediately. Therefore, a user waiting for the following waiting job can save a time.
Other objects and the features will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the attached drawings.